Crunchyroll Announces Simulcast of Soccer Action Anime Giant Killing

San Francisco, Calif. (May 21, 2010) – Crunchyroll, Inc., announced today
the simulcast acquisition of GIANT KILLING, the highly anticipated soccer
action anime based on the hit manga by Masaya Tsunamoto (story) and
Tsujitomo (art) originally published by Kodansha. Animated by the iconic
Studio DEEN, title features the directing talent of Yuu Kou and voiceover
work by fan favorite Tomokazu Seki. GIANT KILLING will become available each
week via Crunchyroll's premium subscription in high definition one hour
after first airing in Japan on NHK and for free in standard definition with
advertisements one week later. More information is on the official GIANT
KILLING series page on Crunchyroll: http://www.crunchyroll.com/giantkilling.

GIANT KILLING follows the story of the down on their luck East Tokyo United
(ETU) professional soccer club and their legendary former player, Takeshi
Tatsumi. Having abandoned the team in Japan during his prime to make it big
in Europe, ETU's prodigal son returns to try and restore his old team to its
former glory. Can Takeshi overcome the odds, the competition and his own
team's moral to keep this team going?

Crunchyroll VP of Licensing Rob Pereyda said: “Soccer already is the most
popular sport in the world. With GIANT KILLING, we get a uniquely Japanese
take on the sport in Japan's most unique medium – anime. With the
quadrennial professional soccer competition coming around, we are excited to
be able to simulcast this to both soccer and anime fans alike.”

Enoki Films VP of Worldwide Distribution Ricki Ames added: “Through the
Crunchyrollsimulcast program, we get a chance to gain some serious exposure
for this title, which we are greatly looking forward to. Let's hope
Crunchyroll can score a real goal with English-speaking fans.”

GIANT KILLING will be available in the United States, Canada, United
Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland,
Australia, and New Zealand.

Crunchyroll is a leading global lifestyle and entertainment brand centered
around all things Asian media and operator of the largest online community,
video site and network of sites, services and devices for Japanese anime and
Asian drama in the world. For $6.95 per month or $59.95 per year,
Crunchyroll subscribers get unlimited access to anime simulcasts as soon as
one hour after broadcast in Japan and a catalog of thousands of episodes.
Through the Crunchyroll network of sites, services and devices, Crunchyroll
has over 6 million monthly unique visitors. Content on Crunchyroll is
licensed by leading media companies across Asia and the world.

Crunchyroll was founded in June 2006 and has offices in both San Francisco
and Tokyo. Crunchyroll is a pioneer and innovator in the Japanese content
business and the only video service in the world to offer hit programs
Naruto Shippūden, Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee and many others within one hour
of their first Japanese broadcasts. Crunchyroll is a member of the
Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) and Licensing International
Merchandisers' Association (LIMA) and is funded by leading venture capital
firm, Venrock, Japanese entertainment giant TV TOKYO, and a group of angel
investors representing some of the brightest and most successful minds and
entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.

The statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are
"forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are based on
current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and
uncertainties. The Company cautions readers of this press release that a
number of important factors could cause Crunchyroll.com's actual future
results to differ materially from those expressed in any such
forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation,
product delays, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and
industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of
relationships with key personnel, vendors and third-party developers,
international economic and political conditions. The Company may change its
intention, belief or expectation, at any time and without notice, based upon
any changes in such factors, in the Company's assumptions or otherwise. The
Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date
hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

bookmark/share with:

this article has been modified since it was originally posted;
see change history

Hope counts down the best moments where Yoko Kanno brought her A-game to Cowboy Bebop. Plus: your poll results, and vote for your favorite Bebop episodes!― 3 2 1, Let's Jam! It's time for a Cowboy Bebop themed episode of The Set List. This week, I've ranked my Top 10 Musical Moments from the legendary jazz-and-blues inspired anime, and you can check them out in the video below! (Please note that we...

PONYCAN USA launched a few months back with two shows: Denki-Gai and Yuki Yuna is a Hero. Executive Director Kazuyoshi Fukuba answers a few questions about what to expect, and what's up with those prices.― PONYCAN USA is the newly-minted US distribution arm of Pony Canyon, which has been in the Japanese media business since 1966. PONYCAN USA follows the example set by Aniplex of America, in that th...

Shinichiro Watanabe's zany sci-fi showcase for his artist pals winds up on bluray today, loaded with special features in a limited edition with a hefty price tag. Mike Toole investigates.― Space Dandy is a series full of magic-- a magic that first reveals itself late in episode 1, during a sequence in which the show's titular hero and his new pal, Meow, are forced to run away from a pack of jumbo-si...

Find out if you won!― Thank you (again) for entering our contest (again). Winners: Patrick Nakasone, Honolulu, Hi Hiddi Jordan, Bailey, Mi Saul Diaz, Arleta, Ca Watch for our next give-away coming SOON! In the meantime, head over to SpaceDandy.com to find out more about FUNimation's awesome Space Dandy sets.

This little-seen family adventure about a group of tanuki living in Kyoto has careful writing and beautiful scenery; Nick Creamer thinks it might just be a modern classic.― In the guidebook accompanying Eccentric Family, series composer Shotaro Suga speaks frankly of the difficulty of condensing an entire book into an anime, and the question of where to even begin telling the story. “There are just ...

Every good fantasy series has a few incredible elf ladies on display. Today, Lynzee decides to finally share the elf.― The term "bombshell" was coined, very appropriately, during World War II to refer to the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell, and other sex symbols of the era. There aren't any elves in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, but there are plenty of wild, voluptuous fantasy women wielding swor...

Deadman Wonderland is a dark, unsettling look into a private prison abusing the system for the whims of the Warden and a few governmental higher ups.― Ever since 1864, a “wonderland” has been a world where the rules of logic do not apply, a carnival that can be by turns fun and frightening. Deadman Wonderland has been playing with that definition since its first volume, and now in its seventh we beg...